TWU says it will fight for safe rates

Date: 05.04.2016

Workers union says it will argue for the RSRO in tomorrow’s Federal Court hearings

TWU boss Tony Sheldon says he will argue for the safe rates Order tomorrow.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) says it will fight the stay on the Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order (RSRO) at the federal court hearings tomorrow as the current situation "is creating uncertainty for drivers and is holding up a solution to the high death toll in truck crashes."

TWU national secretary Tony Sheldon says the Brisbane Court decision on Friday is a roadblock to driver safety that needs to be removed.

"Every year hundreds of owner drivers go bankrupt because they are not able to cover their costs with the tiny margins they are forced onto," he says.

"Every year hundreds of people lose their lives in truck crashes because of pressure on drivers.

"The government, transport employers and clients need to address the crisis in trucking and not stand in the way of a solution."

The TWU had thought they had achieved their desired outcome on Friday afternoon, after the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT) ruled it would not delay the introduction of minimum hourly and kilometre payments for owner-drivers.

However, a matter of hours later the RSRT’s decision – which would have seen the safe rates Order begin yesterday – was frozen by a Federal Court Stay Order instigated by the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and National Road Transport Association (NatRoad).